• Necessary actions before installation
• Installation steps
• Adjusting the settings for Drupal

Drupal is a free open source coded software package that enables persons or groups to easily design, manage and organize content via a web site. This software package provides the usage of many features like content management system, joined content design medium, blog, forum, picture gallery, file downloading and uploading etc. on a web site. [1]

It is possible to install and use this software by using the web user accounts registered on the METU central servers. The steps to follow are given below for those web user code affiliates who wish to install and make use of Drupal under their accounts:

The necessary procedures before installation:

Before the installation of Drupal under a web user account, one must make sure that the below definitions exist for the account:

• A database, defined for the web user code, that functions properly [2]
• A web address like www.abc.metu.edu.tr which is defined to access the pages that will be designed by the web user account [3]

Drupal may be installed directly under the web user account or in to a directory created under that account. The directory under which Drupal is going to be installed is important because the address of the web pages to be designed using the installation has to be announced when being given.

If Drupal is installed directly under the wwwhome directory, there will be access to the pages designed from an address defined as www.abc.metu.edu.tr. If Drupal is installed under a directory as wwwhome/drupal/ the designed pages will be accessed by an address like www.abc.metu.edu.tr/drupal/. Or, support on information about how to define a different address to access the wwwhome/drupal/ directory can be obtained from webadminmetu.edu.tr address.

The steps of installation:

With this set of instructions the steps of installation for the Drupal software is assumed to be taken under the wwwabc web user account in the directory wwwhome/drupal/ and when the need arises will be clarified with commands in the Unix platform. To access the Unix medium SSH Secure Shell or similar software may be used:

1) A directory named drupal is created under the home directory wwwhome:

2) The latest version of Drupal (the file named drupal-X.X.tar.gz) is downloaded from the http://drupal.org/ address. The files and directories in this compressed file are downloaded to the wwwhome/drupal/ directory under the web user account.

3) On the web browser the page www.abc.metu.edu.tr/drupal is opened and the link "Install Drupal in English" is clicked on:

In the "Verify requirements" section, as can be seen in the screen above, by following the instructions given there the procedures below are performed.

4) The file wwwhome/drupal/sites/default/default.settings.php is saved as wwwhome/drupal/sites/default/settings.php:

5) The rights of the settings.php file are made writable by the web server:

6) A new directory named files is created under the sites/default/ directory:

7) The rights of the directory files are made writable by the web server:

8) Following the steps on the web browser, database name, database user code and password are supplied and the task is followed:

• Database name: web user code
• Database username: web user code
• Database password: the password of the web user code

9) The rights of the settings.php file that has been changed earlier to enable to be writable by the web server is returned to its previous state:

10) The site settings which are compulsory in the "Configure site" section are entered:

• Site name: The web address defined for the web user code
• Site e-mail address: The e-mail address to be used for messages for the site
• Username: The user name that would be used for management activities
• E-mail address: The e-mail address to be used for the actions of the system
• Password: The password for the user name to be used for management activities

11) In the "Configure site" section it will be of help to enter the optional settings, instructed below, as well. Once these settings are adjusted the info can be saved and the procedure can be continued:

• Default time zone: The existing time zone to be used for showing the date and time on the site
• Clean URLs: The option that would enable the addresses to be used in the site to be more comprehensible
• Update notifications: The option that would enable the reception of alerts when a new version of the Drupal software is available

12) When continued, if the message below appears on the web browser, the installation of Drupal has been successfully completed. The www.abc.metu.edu.tr/drupal page can now be accessed in order to change the settings of the site and to enter the content.

Drupal installation complete
Congratulations, Drupal has been successfully installed.
You may now visit your new site.

Adjusting the settings of Drupal:

After the installation is completed all the arrangements about the site can be performed by following the links on the www.abc.metu.edu.tr/drupal page:

1) The settings of the site can be arranged. For this, it is necessary to log in to the site with the name defined for the administration activities:

2) In order to enhance the functions of the site some already resident modules may be activated or additional modules can be installed / added:

3) The appearance of the site can be rearranged and new themes may be added:

4) Content can now be started to be added:

Further Explanations:

1. Many tools and info such as, Drupal software source files, additional modules and themes, documentation, help pages etc are resident at the http://drupal.org address.

2. If needed, a database can be defined for the web users. Database request procedure and the rules of usage information may be accessed from this page.

3. If the responsible persons of the web user code do not have a www.abc.metu.edu.tr type of web address defined for their web user code, they can get in touch with the webadminmetu.edu.tr address.

4. Questions and issues may be directed to the hotlinemetu.edu.tr address or to the phone number 3355.

5. For a brief description of managing the web sites using Drupal, please look at this document. (PDF file in Turkish, 207 KB)